Schreiner weasels in works to the righteousness of God

 Schreiner is a very good sophist. He is able to conflate two ideas into one. Again a book about Faith Alone, which is what the name of the book is, should communicate clearly what it intends to say on the subject. With Schreiner, we get a conflation of the notion of law and gospel. Schreiner doesn't properly distinguish the law from the gospel. We see this in his chapter 11, God's saving Righteousness.

What is God's saving Righteousness? According to Schreiner it is more than, not less than, the declaration of being counted Righteousness before God by Faith alone. He says Righteousness and salvation do not mean the same thing (Page 146). Where righteousness will become a reality or when God's people will stand in the right before the judge(Page 147). Schriener views Righteousness as also following the Norm (Page 149). It is walking in integrity in which some people can be more righteous than another (Page 150). It is conformity to the standard of God (Page 151). God's Righteousness cannot be limited to salvation but it is more (Page 152). Then on the same page he ask if we have overemphasized the idea that Righteousness is God's faithful to the Covenant (Page 152).

Subtleties is Schreiner's slyness. However, a book on salvation, there should not be a conflation of the imputed righteousness and the infused righteousness. What saves alone? It is the imputed righteousness of Christ received by assenting to the gospel promises alone. We believe, rely, trust in the Christ for us for salvation. We are set apart by his imputed righteousness.

It is not our righteousness, but thine as the hymn says. Of course, as a result of salvation by Christ alone being received by belief alone, believers do work but not for salvation. Their works are still filthy. Doing good to one's neighbor and for the honor and glory of God and being thankful to God for his grace in Christ alone are the why's or motivation for works. The righteousness that are done in sanctification are not also the basis of or the grounds of our salvation. it is only the imputed righteousness of Christ that saves us alone. We should not confuse the law and gospel but we are to rightly divide the law from the gospel. It is the law that tells us what good works are. It condemns all for lack of perfection. It sends us to Christ alone who alone saves us by his righteous work on the cross for His elect alone.